'American Idol': Phillip Phillips hits his peak with 'Volcano'

10:00 p.m. EST, May 9, 2012|By Hal Boedeker, Staff writer

American Idol" had two hours to fill Wednesday night, and the show threw in unnecessary group singing. The solos were served in two rounds: the "California Dreamin'" theme first, then songs that inspired the four hopefuls. The results suggest that the final will be Phillip Phillips vs. Joshua Ledet.

In round one, Phillip put an upbeat spin on Creedence Clearwater Revival's "Have You Ever Seen the Rain?" He was good, not great, but his charm and smile probably pleased fans. Jennifer Lopez heard a Joe Cocker quality to his voice. Randy Jackson said Phillip recovered after a rocky start and cited the moment he smiled as the turning point.

Hollie Cavanagh turned Journey's "Faithfully" into a pretty torch song, and she was at her best on the big notes at the end. She looked lovely, and her hair flowed beautifully. "You are right in the zone," Jackson proclaimed. "Really very beautiful," Lopez said. Steven Tyler praised her song choice.

Joshua Ledet was refreshingly restrained most of the way on "You Raise Me Up." Yet did he have to be joined by a choir again? Lopez had trouble finding the words to praise him. "You sang your little tush off," Tyler said. Jackson seemed surprised that Joshua would "bring it [the song] to church a little bit." But isn't that standard for Joshua?

Jessica Sanchez went with Etta James' "Steal Away," a song that was too old for her. Still, she ripped into it with a determined fierceness. Lopez was amazed by Jessica's growl. Jackson appreciated the vibe that a 16-year-old was performing Etta James. Jessica later joked that she was 65 years old.

In the second round, Phillip played the guitar and delivered "Volcano" poignantly. He was photographed in darkness, and the overall effect was powerful. It might have been his best moment on the show. "I never heard you sing like that before," Tyler said.

Hollie tackled Bonnie Raitt's "I Can't Make You Love Me," and Tyler said she fell short. Lopez said the vocal was off, and Jackson said Hollie picked the wrong song. Did viewers agree? I thought Hollie looked beautiful, and her restraint was laudable. Can she avoid ejection once more?

Joshua soared on James Brown's "It's a Man's World," one of his best performances. He understood how to modulate his big voice; he has matured. The judges gave him a standing ovation. "I never heard anything like that in my life," Tyler said.

Jessica went Broadway with "And I'm Telling You" from "Dreamgirls." She unleashed her growl, and she delivered the show-stopper with a diva's flair. It was probably her best moment, too. But it wasn't as original as the peaks for Phillip and Joshua. Still, the judges responded with a standing ovation. "Another winning performance," Tyler said. "It was a real moment," Lopez said.

To fill up the two hours, "Idol" threw in group singing. Joshua and Phillip were a fun-loving team on "This Love." Tyler thought it was perfect. Hollie and Jessica were paired on "Eternal Flame," and Jackson bluntly said he didn't like it. You don’t hear that too often on "Idol." The top four joined forces for a blah rendition of "Waiting for a Girl Like You."

The results are at 8 p.m. Thursday on Fox (WOFL-Channel 35). Lopez and former "Idol" champ David Cook will perform. Hollie seems the likely one to go. Do you agree?